Pura Vida Ministries

SLUMC Guatemala Work Trip -- March, 2019

4/23/2019

by John Mezger

“Angels!” On the first morning of our visit to Chichicastenango, Guatemala, representatives from the nearby John Wesley School greeted our work group to bless us and pray. Recognizing our team and St. Luke’s for our years of work in the area, they called us “angels.” Angels abounded in and around “Chichi” that week, but they were evident in the endlessly happy and playful children, and through the eyes of their parents, whose deep gratitude was obvious every day. We were simply workers blessed to be there and share in the joy.

Our team of 27 included members and friends of St. Luke’s, as well as Sandy Teel, who met us enroute to Guatemala from her home in New Jersey. Some on the team were very experienced, having completed the trip more than a dozen times, while others were “newbies”. But the common curiosity, dedication and commitment on the part of each traveler resulted in a remarkable group experience. Trip leader John Williams and Team Leader Ron Miller led the way.

"The work group – familiar faces, new faces, all with the biggest hearts, wanting to make a difference in some people’s lives, which will hopefully enhance them forever….coming to Guatemala, I see the babies’ faces and young mothers, hoping they will have a better future…or maybe it starts with their babies."

-- Work team member journal entry.

We traveled from Denver to Antigua, Guatemala on Saturday, March 23, and then rode into the mountainous area in the department of Quiche on Sunday. That day the team had the opportunity to attend the world-famous “Chichi” market of hand-crafted items, foods, and native folks with amazing persistence and negotiating skills.

Monday through Friday, the team worked. Three houses, in Chichi and two neighboring villages, were substantially completed, with roofing and floors to be added by future teams including a St. Luke’s youth team. We mixed mortar and added about six feet of elevation to each concrete block structure. Whenever they were able to visit with us the families who would be receiving these shelters were as gracious and helpful as possible. It’s difficult not to be excited about your task when you’re greeted in the early morning by a tiny child, perhaps three years old, holding a trowel and giving you a look that says “Let’s go!”!

On Wednesday the team had the opportunity to visit the school in Lemoa, serving grades one through six, that St. Luke’s and Pura Vida have been instrumental in building. More than 100 students entertained with dances and skits, and for a couple of hours everyone played athletic and educational games with the students, celebrating the success of the school and the children. It was inspiring, exhausting, and tremendous fun.

“You can see in the faces of the very young principal and teachers their earnest efforts to educate and nurture that body of children The young children pressed forward as they happily accepted the break from class to present a program of thanks, play games, and just be kids….To me, education equals opportunity. And the work done by St. Luke’s and Pura Vida to promote the education of children lays the cornerstone of opportunity.” – work team member journal entry.

The team also was able to spend time with sisters Connie and Helen from the Maryknoll Contemplative Community in Lemoa. The sisters have worked to aid and educate the poor in the region for decades. As inspirational as the children were on this trip, so was sister Helen, working hard at age 99.

During the work week, many team members took time out to visit with their sponsored students. Often, children in Guatemala are obliged to leave school prior to reaching sixth grade, to work with their families in craft production and farming. The only education available at higher grades is in private schools, which most can’t afford. The 30 students who met with their St. Luke’s sponsors may continue their education into high school and beyond, because their tuition is paid by their sponsors. St. Luke’s members who would like to sponsor students should review the Pura Vida web-site or contact Laura Richards at St. Luke’s!

Members of St. Luke’s have supported Pura Vida’s work in Guatemala with work trips since 2005, building dozens of houses and sponsoring hundreds of students. The blessings of this initiative flow both ways: “It is truly amazing what motivated and compassionate Christians can accomplish in one week in Guatemala. I’ve enjoyed seeing our team bond together in a spirit of service and make a difference…one family at a time”. – team member journal entry.

The St. Luke’s Guatemala mission team members change lives - often their own – as they bring housing, education and hope to some of the world’s most needy.

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FUMC Loveland Guatemala Work Trip -- Feb. 2019

2/27/2019

by Charlie Bouchard

February 2019 marked the fourth service trip to Guatemala for Loveland FUMC. This year we had 4 first timers and 15 folks who had been on at least one of the previous trips. I think this speaks volumes to the impact the Pura Vida Guatemala trips have had on the lives of those who have participated. We all have a better understanding of what it means to be the hands and feet of God on these trips. The first year we came down to build houses. Now we return each year to build relationships with Guatemalans, and the houses get built. I dare say the building of relationships is the enduring reward for all. It is such a joy to see our construction crew and interpreters each year - like a renewal of friendships.

As in past years, we were privileged to spend a morning at the Rosario School. Last year the Penguinos visited the school and created a memorable experience for all. This year tiburones (sharks) swam to shore at the school. Songs were sung, ropes jumped, books read, ice cream shared, and wonderful crafts created. In a highlight, Betsy (the principal of Rosario), donned the shark costume and danced with the students. Pure joy and delight were seen in the eyes of Betsy and her students.

Definition of a service trip: Doing work you could not be paid to do at home, in conditions that OSHA would never approve, and being grateful for the opportunity. I wrote that on my first trip to Guatemala in 2016. When we get out of our comfort zone, I believe it is easier to see God’s love in action and our faith is rewarded. I encourage all to be “sharks out of water” and get your fins dirty on a service trip. The swim is worth it!

English Immersion Camp 2018

7/31/2018

By Samantha Hansen

While El Volcán de Fuego brought into question the possibility of our trip, I am beyond excited to say our trip was completely unaffected. While in Chichicastenango, we visited markets, practiced haggling, and met many people making a living selling their handiwork, or more accurately, art.

Our mission was to teach English to the children of the John Wesley School in Santa Cruz del Quiché. We ran our English Camp in Lemoa where 4th through 9th graders came and practiced with us every day for a week. Between classes, we visited the Mayan Ruins, the John Wesley School, the nutrition center, and two American women, Sister Connie and Sister Helen, who had served in Guatemala for many years.

During class, we taught the kids through immersion, meaning we spoke almost exclusively in English around them. The kids plowed through units faster than we could've imagined. We taught a wide range of things, including colors, family members, weather, and foods.

This was important because education is not something these kids can, or ever would, take for granted. Education is a privilege, not a right, yet in America we fail to comprehend that. Giving these kids an opportunity at an education in a second language is extremely important, and a significant add on to a limited education system.

We all felt blessed to be there, and many of us are already making plans to go back again next summer. It feels good to make a difference, especially if it means serving the Lord as well.

FUMC Loveland Guatemala Work Trip -- Feb. 2018

2/19/2018

by Charlie Bouchard

This 2018 trip to Guatemala marks the third visit for First United Methodist in Loveland, CO. It is a blessing to be able to see continuity and to renew relationships with our Guatemalan friends as well as build new relationships.
As usual, the highlight of the week was spending time with the students at the Rosario school

This year there were special visitors: two penguinos danced the Penguino Dance (AKA the Hokey Pokey). Our school visit coincided with Ash Wednesday, Carnaval, and Valentines Day. After the planned activities ended, we celebrated Carnaval with the school. During the revelry of confetti and music, I danced with one young student (yes - I was one of the penguinos!). She had the face of an angel and as she looked up at me, her big brown eyes reflected awe and wonder. I, on the other hand, knew I was looking into the eyes of God.

It has been my experience that personal growth occurs when we step out of our comfort zone. A Pura Vida service trip certainly qualifies on that count! Our team worked hard on our two home sites and made good progress. However, our personal growth dwarfed the building progress on our home construction. We all came back more - more compassionate, more empathetic, more grateful. We can only hope we impact the lives of Guatemalans half as much as they impact us.

Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision (hope), the people perish”. In Guatemala, the need is great. It is a privilege to be able to give hope a face for the wonderful people of Guatemala.

Pura Vida’s financial model: Self-sustainability

7/17/2017

by Mark Ely

In 2002 when Pura Vida was growing from idea to reality, I did what a lot of startup founders do: I worked around the clock, pretty much lived out of donated office space, funded the organization with my personal savings, and refused to take any sort of compensation. Luckily for me I had some savvy board members who eventually put a stop to all of that. They understood that for long-term survival of the organization, sustainability was essential.

During the startup phase of any organization this kind of behavior is not unusual, and often doesn’t even feel like a sacrifice. But my board knew I couldn’t do that for more than a few years without burning out, so they gently prodded me to make the programs self-sustaining. As a result, we have extremely robust programs for an organization of our size.

It turns out that I had a basic misconception of how an effective nonprofit organization should function. My early philosophy was that donations to our programs should be straight pass-throughs, with some large fund or donor financing oversight and program development. I figured I would just pay that out of my pocket until such a fund or donor arrived on the scene.

My board encouraged me to consider the costs of implementing of such a high-minded plan. I soon found out that it was easy to give money away, but hard to make sure it was used effectively. For beneficial long term results, simply throwing money at a problem wasn't enough. As an example, for our scholarship program we have to evaluate potential scholarship recipients, track their progress, distribute funding in regular amounts to the right person to prevent spree spending, and perform many more checks and balances. This requires coordination by local staff, which costs money.

At this fork in the road, some organizations stick to their guns and pledge to raise separate funding for those activities. Some lucky ones have large donors in their back pockets. Others, however, must raise a massive amount of unrestricted funding every year to cover this.

Unrestricted funds are notoriously difficult to raise. They also fluctuate with the economy more than donations to designated programs. I finally realized that tying the viability of an organization’s programs to the ongoing success of unrestricted fundraising was pretty risky. Later I saw first-hand some of the problems encountered by other small organizations working in Guatemala which had taken this approach. Pura Vida does rely on some unrestricted funding, but it’s one stream of many. Thanks to our sustainable financial model, we has never had to cut staff, or defund programs, or drop students.

So what is our model for sustainability? It simply involves covering the full cost of each program with designated donations. This includes what I will refer to as direct and indirect costs. Using the example of a student sponsorship, a sponsor’s donation covers direct costs like tuition, books, uniforms, supplies, and transportation. It also covers indirect benefits such as helping to fund the education of scholarship students who are not yet sponsored, costs of keeping records on sponsored children, translating and forwarding letters, and meeting emergencies. As long as there is a critical mass of sponsored students, the program can survive on it’s own financially without huge infusions of unrestricted funding. That frees up our staff and volunteers to do more meaningful work developing programs and growing relationships.

Looking back, I’m happy that my board nudged Pura Vida in the right direction for long-term success. We still have a need for reliable unrestricted funding, and I want to thank our unrestricted donors for their ongoing support. We hope to continue funding and growing our programs in the future with this self-sustaining model.

Our First Bachelor's Degree

6/14/2017

by Mark Ely

Until now it was unthinkable that a young woman from Lemoa, Guatemala could graduate from university with a bachelor's degree. History was made this month when Sebastiana Gonzales did just that. Not only is she the first Pura Vida scholarship student to get to this point, but she also the first resident of Lemoa to do so.

Sebastiana was selected for a Pura Vida scholarship as a 6th grader in the Lemoa public school in 2003. Since then she has thrived academically, finishing her associate's and bachelor's degrees with excellent grades. She currently teaches math at the John Wesley School and is part of the local Pura Vida staff. With her new degree she will be able to teach mathematics and physics at the university level.

Sebastiana is a big believer in paying it forward. She recently told us "What we want is for the community to progress. Not just the families benefiting from the scholarship program, but all families."

She practices what she preaches. She has taken on ground-breaking responsibilities as the first female among our 8 scholarship program community leaders. She also tutors our students and coordinates our annual milk distribution in Lemoa.

Sebastiana and her mother

We saw Sebastiana's confidence grow during her years in the program

Sebastiana has been sponsored long-term by Pura Vida board member Lyle SmithGraybeal and his wife Felicia. Due to their commitment, Sebastiana was able to go much further than expected in her education. She recently told our staff that without a scholarship, she would never have continued her studies past sixth grade.

Now, thanks to committed sponsors, we have 28 other students attending university. We hope that this number will continue to grow, and that the graduates will make a beneficial impact on their communities.

[ University sponsorship program details ]

The Faces of Guatemala

3/28/2017

by Ron Miller

The St. Luke's UMC 2017 Guatemalan Mission team had an exciting, fun-filled, and productive trip the week of 19 March. During our nine days together, our mission team experienced the many faces of Guatemala.

The Face of Human Need. As we worked with our families to build two, 2-room cinder-block houses, we saw their obvious need for better living conditions over their existing adobe huts.

The Face of Compassion. During our five days working with our Guatemalan friends, we genuinely felt the need to give of ourselves to help others.

The Face of Laughter. Our group had extremely-high, off-the-chart fun, laughter, and joking components that kept us always on our toes, enjoying each moment, and waiting for the next “funny” to occur.

The Face of Camaraderie. Our team bonded through each day as we got to know each other and enjoy the unique gifts that each brought to our mission.

The Face of God. We saw God’s presence in our trip and his wondrous work in our lives and the lives of our Guatemalan friends. We shared those “God moments” each evening.

The Face of Changed Lives. As we toured the water filtration plant in Antigua, we realized the health impact of clean drinking water for rural families.

The Face of Guatemala’s Future. The kids of Guatemala just stole our hearts from the children at the home sites, to kids at the cornstalk school, and to the trinket sales kids outside our hotel each afternoon. They brightened our day and motivated us to do more.

The Face of Service. We felt the satisfaction of serving others, our Guatemalan friends who so greatly appreciated our efforts. We continually “got it” that this life is not all about us…it’s about helping others.

The trip was truly a transforming experience in my faith journey. If you are interested in going on next year’s trip, or would like to participate financially to sponsor a student, fund the water filtration project, assist with a scholarship for a future team member, I would like to visit with you.

A First-timer’s Perspective

2/19/2017

By Rev. Lee Anderson-Harris

I have been acquainted with Pura Vida Ministries for close to a decade. As an associate pastor, I serve a church that has a long relationship with Pura Vida, and I have heard many stories about the incredible experience and people that participants encounter on the work trips. In January 2017, I finally had an opportunity to participate in a work trip myself. Even better, I went with my new husband, also an associate pastor, and members of the church he serves.
Prior to this trip, it had been several years since I last travelled out of the country. Further, this would be the first time I would not be travelling to popular tourist destinations, and spend more time getting to know locals than I normally would on a vacation. I was nervous; I do not speak the language, I do not blend in, and Guatemala is very unfamiliar territory to me. In other words, I am a foreigner, and I felt like a foreigner before I even arrived.

We arrived in Guatemala City at night, and took a bus to Antigua to stay the night. As it was dark, I could not see much of the landscape, but even on the bus ride I began to get that thrill of being in a new place. The hotel in Antigua was lovely and comfortable. The next morning after breakfast, I went to the rooftop to see the view. When I saw the beauty of the land and the buildings surrounding us, I got tears in my eyes. Nervousness gone, I felt excitement for what awaited us the rest of the week.

We arrived in Chichicastenango on a market day, and the city was alive and bustling. Again, our hotel was beautiful and comfortable, a nice treat (especially since many of my previous foreign travel experiences involved staying in hostels). I was grateful to have trip leaders who could tell me do’s and don’ts, where to be when, and what was next. It allowed me to just focus on my own experience and soak it all in. That indeed is part of the impact of the trip, and important not to overlook. Being present to yourself and to the multi-sensory experience that is Chichi (and the other places we visited) will add much to what you take away from this trip.

That week, we took the bus to Lemoa each day to work on building a wall for a school and a house for a family whose husband/father died within the last two years. As we pulled into the school the first day, the children were waiting for us, cheering when we arrived. There were words of gratitude from the teachers, and brief performances by some of the kids. They even gave us each small gifts of candy with a handmade butterfly. It was humbling to see the work they put into welcoming us and showing their gratitude. Again, I was moved to tears.

I was not concerned about the work itself; I enjoy being outside and doing manual labor. But I had never done any masonry work, so it was a new skill to learn. In the end, it was satisfying to learn something new (although I wouldn’t say I mastered it) and to see the progress made each day. Each person had a place on the work site. Some were skilled at the masonry work, while there were plenty of other tasks that needed to be done. There was more to this process than the physical work, however. I worked alongside virtual strangers. I got to know people well, through conversation but also by observing various personalities. And, I got to know myself better, as I observed my own reactions in this environment. I now feel closer to the other team members, and I gained more insight into myself. At the end of the work week, we blessed the projects and left the family knowing they would soon be in their new home.

"Communication happens even without words."

Even with a language barrier, I could connect with others. I played with the children at the work sites. What a blessing they were! They were kind, and receptive to my presence. Everywhere we traveled, children waved to us, even seemed excited to see the bus. And it wasn’t just the children who were hospitable. I encountered so many people who were warm, vibrant, and welcoming to this group of strangers. Communication happens even without words. Still, I was very grateful to have interpreters with us, and to be able to learn more about the culture by speaking with them. I have since begun to attempt to learn Spanish, because I hope to better connect with Spanish-speaking individuals where I live and when I travel abroad again.

At the end of the work portion of the trip, we had free time back in Antigua. Even though my husband and I could have gone off on our own, we continued to spend time with other team members because of the bonds that grew from this experience. By the time we left Guatemala, I was simultaneously sad to leave and eager to be home. What I gained from this trip will remain (and I’m not talking about the souvenirs we bought!). My hope is that many more people will get to experience what I did.

Rebeca's amazing transformation

12/16/2016

by Mark Ely

I first met Rebeca in 1999. Her family lived behind the site of the orphanage our group was building in Lemoa. She and her siblings sat outside every day to watch the commotion. Team members would spend time playing with the kids, which is how I met her. At a very young age she was already caring for her four younger siblings.

Rebeca (far right) and siblings in 2003

Once the orphanage was completed, I began to stay longer in Lemoa to help out at the facility. Whenever I went out the back door, though, there was Rebeca. Eventually my Spanish got to the point where we could have a decent conversation. One day we were talking about favorite foods, and she mentioned that she loved milk, but rarely drank it. When I asked her why, she gave me her wide-eyed “are you serious?” look that I always seemed to provoke. Some quick research revealed that the price of milk was far out of the range of most residents of Lemoa. Thus, in 2002 the Christmas Milk Program was born.

We kept up our conversations as years progressed. One time Rebeca’s younger sister was making fun of her for failing 3rd grade. “This is my third time in 3rd grade,” Rebeca admitted with an embarrassed smile. And then, as all of the village kids did, she asked if she could be a part of the new scholarship program. I gave her a noncommittal answer, but mentally wrote her off from ever being a part of the program. How could someone who failed three years in a row ever succeed in secondary school?

“This is my third time in 3rd grade”

Fast forward to 2010

Later the scholarship program began to take much more of my time. I wasn’t in Lemoa as much as before, and I ran into Rebeca less frequently. One morning in October we were busy processing new applicants when I looked up from my camera and saw Rebeca come forward holding an application. Somehow she had made it through 6th grade and had been recommended by her teachers for a scholarship. I was amazed. We found her a sponsor and she stayed in school.

Graduation in 2016

JWS graduation - October, 2016

This October I was present for Rebeca’s graduation from the John Wesley School. As she came up for her diploma, my mind went back to her troubles in the 3rd grade. It was quite a transformation. She had finished high school at a good institution with a GPA of 86!

English Immersion Camp 2016

8/2/2016

by Suzie Brauer

Life is a journey that has unexpected turns and discoveries. Such it was when we went to Guatemala for a week in June to work at the camp, teaching English to eager young students. One individual’s reflection included words to the effect that “Life is not about stuff. Stuff doesn’t bring automatic enjoyment”. After less than two days in Chichicastenango our experience undoubtedly confirmed this. What we discovered were children and adults who have very little in the way of “stuff” but are incredibly joyful and giving. Giving of excitement, love, positive expectations and eagerness to learn. And then there were the hugs and high fives. All of this so much more important and meaningful than “stuff” we have in our own lives. The week with Pura Vida was a unique, incredibly different experience that provided the volunteers who traveled down there a new and potentially life changing experience.

One cannot deny that the five days we spent teaching two groups of young people, ages 10 to 16, English were long and packed with activity and learning. Each group had about 30 students divided into three classes. And these days included the unexpected. But that unexpected included laughter, screams of joy, hugs, and “thank yous” that were heartfelt and at times unexpected. Children eager to learn and giving up their school vacation time to do so. Parents so grateful for the scholarships that their child had received to be able to continue to attend school that they cried when meeting the sponsor of their child. How my heart warmed at all of this.

"Children eager to learn and giving up their school vacation time to do so."

The unexpected on the last day, receiving a hug and a very long thank you and God bless you from a student I didn’t know I had touched so intensely. The boy who sang a song once with the group and then had to have the title written down to take home to his family; the teenager who brought a gift he had made, a woven tortilla cover, to thank us for all we had done; so many of the children bringing phones to take pictures of themselves with their “teacher”. Yes, those students made a life impact on all of us.

It was a distinctive experience, one I had never had. Who benefited the most? It is hard to say whether it was the children or those of us who were fortunate to have this time in a beautiful country and unique culture. One thing is for sure. The memories will never leave our minds and it was impossible to come home and not have changed in some unique way. Thank you Pura Vida for the opportunity for a new vision on life.

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